Advance Care Planning

Thank you for taking the first step in advance care planning. At Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, we believe that advance care planning is best accomplished in collaboration with your spiritual adviser and your physician.

FAQs

What is an Advance Healthcare Directive?

It is a healthcare power of attorney, living will, or written combination of a healthcare power of attorney and living will.

What is a healthcare power of attorney?

It is a document in which you designate an individual to make healthcare decisions for you. This person is called your healthcare agent.

What is a living will?

It is a document that expresses your wishes and instructions for healthcare when you cannot make your own decisions, and have an end-stage medical condition or are permanently unconscious.

Other considerations

An advance directive can provide peace of mind to you and your family by making it more likely that your wishes will be carried out if and when you are unable to express them yourself. Completing this document as early as possible gives you time to ask questions, get reliable information, and consider your options. In addition to thinking about medical considerations, you should reflect on what is important to you in life, and your spiritual, religious and/or cultural beliefs.

Conversations are important. Although the focus in preparing an advance directive often tends to be on completing the form, the conversation is just as important. Setting aside time to talk with your loved ones provides an opportunity to speak not only about treatment preferences, but also about your personal life goals, values, and beliefs.

The advance care planning service at St. Mary Medical Center provides free and confidential advance care planning to help adults start conversations with loved ones about healthcare choices. Call to schedule your appointment 215.710.7089.

Trained facilitators will assist you in discussing your wishes and completing an Advance Directive. You are encouraged to bring your loved one or healthcare decision-maker to this appointment. The facilitators are trained to utilize the Respecting Choices model of advance care planning, with support from The Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership (BCHIP) Advance Care Planning team.